Target firmly set on 2024 Olympics for Belfast boxer Aidan Walsh

Walsh came home with a bronze medal from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but was denied his chance to fight in the final for a gold medal after being forced to withdraw due to injury.

Last year at the Commonwealth Games, Walsh won a gold medal to add to the silver he’d secured four years earlier but after the Irish National Championships he took some time away from the sport.

Walsh’s impressive international career started at the Youth Commonwealth Games back in 2015 and as he addressed the current crop of Team NI athletes about to jet off for this year’s multi-games event in Trinidad and Tobago, the pugilist fondly reminisced about winning the gold medal in Samoa eight years ago.

“That was my first major tournament and for me it is always something that I hold close to my heart,” he said. “The year previous Michaela (Aidan’s sister) went to her first major Commonwealth Games, and she won a silver medal, so for me it was a stepping stone towards going to the main Commonwealth Games and to win a gold medal with the rest of the lads was amazing.

“It was a great team. We had five boxers and all five got to the final and it was great to be a part of it.

“I’m actually the last amateur of everyone that was there, there was James McGivern, Stevie McKenna, Brett McGinty, Tiernan Bradley and me, the rest of the guys are all professional.”

Going from west Belfast to Apia, the Samoan capital, was a bit of a culture shock for teenage Walsh.

“It definitely was especially the weather I wasn’t used to getting that heat,” joked Walsh. “It was great, and it was a great experience.

"In boxing you can go all across the world and sometimes it is not where you are but who you are with and that is the key.

“We were with great people, great coaches and great support staff and that played a massive role in something that I was extremely grateful for.”

Walsh beat Matthew Rennie from the Isle of Man in the light-welterweight final to claim the gold medal.

“It was a huge point of my career where it made me believe that I could compete at the highest level of sport going forward to the major games,” he added. “It gave me the confidence to say I have been here and competed against countries like this before and to be able to go and perform.

“That’s why the youth games are so important – they are a stepping block to the next stage whether that be the major Commonwealth Games or Olympic games.

"I think the youth games are a crucial phase in any athlete’s career.”

Three years later, Walsh was in the final of the senior Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast.

“Again, that was amazing, and it always seemed to be in great places when I was going to it which is always a bonus,” he said. “It was my first time at a major senior competition, and I was probably one of the youngest on the team and probably had the least international experience as I hadn’t done much since the youth games.

“I was going in not really knowing and to get to the final at such a young age was another great moment in my career. I lost to world number one Pat McCormack, but I performed well and it gave me the confidence to say I can perform at this level again and then the Olympics was on the horizon.”

Walsh went one better in Birmingham winning the gold medal, as did sister Michaela.

“For me when everything goes right that is the results you get,” he added. “I struggled a bit after the Olympics and the comedown with the medal and stuff.

“To go to the Commonwealth Games and win a gold medal is amazing. The late Jim McCourt – another great role model of mine – did the same. He won a bronze at the Olympics then a gold at the Commonwealth Games.

“So, for me to replicate that was amazing and to do it with me sister was amazing. I maybe did play it down a bit and it wasn’t that important to me at the time when looking back it actually was important.

“I was going through a bit of a phase in my life that I was going through that I had to get through at the Commonwealth Games so that is why I maybe played it down.

“I was going though a bit of things behind the scenes, and I was just happy to perform.

“Now looking for the next Commonwealth Games, the Olympics just whatever I can get to is my main aim.

“I took a bit of time off and it was well needed for me. I just had to step away and get some help and I had great people around me.

"I got the help I needed and now I’m back fighting fit and ready to go again for Paris 2024.”

Walsh is going for gold in the French capital.

“I was happy with the bronze and even before the Olympics I was the least favourite to get a medal at those games, where now I have confidence in myself going forward that I can go out and do my best and on the day my best will be enough,” he added. “I have so many goals now looking forward to.

"All my goals in life were the Olympics in Tokyo and I reached it and after that I really didn’t have anywhere, now I have stepped back regrouped and am ready for Paris.”

Walsh still must qualify for Paris.

“Boxing in Ireland at the moment is incredible and to get out of Ireland for some people is extremely hard,” he said. “For me I just have to keep doing what I’m doing.

"Enter the Nationals and just prove that I am as good as I think I am and just see what it brings.”